ERPs have come a long way. They’ve evolved from MRP systems and on-prem servers with fat clients, to thin clients, the Cloud, SaaS—and now AI is knocking on the door, bringing with it another fundamental shift.
Technology keeps evolving at an exponential pace. What started as highly technical tools are now flexible platforms that business users—non-technical staff—can tailor to their needs without coding or specialist support.
It’s good to see us come this far.
But the human side? Still letting us down.
Just look at how often ERPs are replaced within five years. Often, it’s not because of failure—but because a new executive wants to bring in their preferred system. Do we ever stop to measure how well we’re using our existing digital assets? Do we have structures to train new staff, to ensure these systems are used properly and consistently? Are we keeping our tools current, improving them regularly, and making the most of what we already have?
What continues to fail us isn’t the tech—it’s the lack of structure, process, and accountability.
It’s the human element.
If we don’t address this now, we’ll keep failing—even as advanced AI agents start automating entire workflows. Tools will keep improving. But without discipline and ownership, we’ll still underutilise them.
